Kate Hoey and the DUP demonstrated breath-taking ignorance on a no-deal Brexit in just a couple of tweets

Kate Hoey and an image of an anti-Brexit protest
Peadar O'Cearnaigh


Pro-Brexit Labour MP Kate Hoey and DUP chief whip Jeffrey Donaldson have displayed breath-taking ignorance on avoiding a no-deal Brexit. They both think Ireland should sort it out.

Hoey and Donaldson suggested Ireland should act as a go-between to enable the UK and the EU to avoid no-deal. Such a scenario looks “increasingly likely” should the UK leave the EU as planned on 31 October.

Completely clueless

What Hoey and Donaldson clearly forget is that Ireland is a member of the EU27 that negotiated the withdrawal agreement with the UK. And that agreement isn’t up for renegotiation.

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But Hoey still tweeted an open letter claiming to represent Irish attitudes to Brexit. Trinity College Dublin professor Anthony Coughlan wrote this letter:

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Coughlan’s letter suggested Ireland:

act as a mediator between the EU and the UK and help London get the best deal possible with the EU, while recognising that the UK is leaving the customs union and single market.

Stupidity loves company

Donaldson’s tweet was similar. He suggested:

Dublin can play a crucial role in helping broker an accommodation that both the UK & EU can accept.

Donaldson’s tweet appeared to be inspired by an article in an Irish newspaper. People took to social media to set both him and Hoey straight.

It should frighten him

The first resistance to Donaldson came from within his own support base.

But shock at Donaldson’s ignorance went much further. Donaldson showed he wasn’t just out of touch with his own supporters but also with the majority view in the north of Ireland. Because a greater number of people support joining a united Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit, compared to those who wish to remain in the UK.

This prospect should send a shiver down the spine of any DUP member given its main reason for existence is:

to maintain and enhance Northern Ireland’s constitutional position within the United Kingdom

Setting the record straight

This person made it very clear that the British government is responsible for the mess.

Then one person reminded Hoey of majority Irish attitudes to the EU:

As did another:

But the final word on Hoey goes to this poster who made it clear what he thought about the letter Hoey tweeted:

Time Donaldson and Hoey faced the truth

Boris Johnson took on the baton of a botched Brexit from Theresa May. And when he returns to the House of Commons in September, a motion of no confidence could await him. So there’s possibly an election on the horizon.

Hoey has already said she won’t stand, and the election could return the DUP to Westminster irrelevance. So neither opinion will matter. What matters is the opinion of the British people. And they won’t forget or forgive the Tories for creating this mess. More importantly, they’ll make them pay as soon as that election is called.

Featured image via YouTube – Fox News / Flickr – TeaMeister

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  • Show Comments

    1. There is a serious lack of understanding in the political classes about what really is the truth, far too much Propaganda is still being regurgitated by the same class.

      The point of modern propaganda isn’t only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.

      Garry Kasparov

    2. To exhaust your critical thinking on just about every issue has been so true since 2016.
      Stupidity is as infinite as the universe said Einstein.
      Meaning it goes on, and on , and on.
      How appealing for the Tories to discover this new political techique…… stupidity.
      Will it work?
      Or will a General Election even happen, as this appears to be a real challenge for the political class residing in parliament to hold the Tories to account.
      Will one happen before October 31st?
      Imagine no election.
      How stupid is that?

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